Don't Call Him Stupid!
by AndyHood
Summary: What were Lt. Dan's thoughts that New Year's Eve when he defended the man that robbed him of his destiny to die on the battlefield? Dan examines his thoughts on one Forest Gump. What was it about this man that caused to feel so many conflicting things. A man without hope, might find a small piece in the most unlikely man.


Dan Taylor didn't know what possessed him to wheel across New York to the T.V station. He had been happily downing a bottle of whiskey when He showed up on T.V. and made a fool out of himself. He didn't know what made him more angry, The fact that Gump received a Medal of Honor, or the T.V people taking advantage of him on National T.V.

Dan blamed the booze for inviting Gump to stay at his place for New Years. It had nothing to do with the happy look on Gumps face when he discovered Dan after the T.V. show. Or the lack of pity in his eyes as he looked down at him.

Dan didn't even think when he invited the girls back to the apartment for the night. He was so occupied with Lenore, doing the only thing that made him feel alive when a crash had distracted him. He had looked over to see Carla picking herself up from the ground and Forest standing up and just looking at the ground.

"What is your friend's problem! He lose his package in the war or something" yelled Carla grabbing her purse.

"What is your friend stupid?" asked the girl on his lap as she continued to kiss his face.

"What did you call him" growled Dan grabbing her arms and forced her to arm's length, glaring at her.

"I said is your friend stupid or something" the girl whined.

Dan picked the girl up by the waist and threw her off his lap and onto the bed. "Don't call him stupid!" he yelled.

All thoughts of a good time flew out of his head. No one insulted one of his men, no one. How dare she call Forest stupid! What did that two-bit whore know about anything. Lt. Dan had called Forest every name in the book, but he never called him stupid. Dan knew that Forest was different, slower than normal. But he was worth more than most people. He had changed Dan's destiny, the son of a bitch, but he had saved the rest of the platoon. He had run back into the jungle moments before an airstrike to bring back a colored boy. During these changing times, how many young white men from the South, none the less, would run back into the fire to save a wounded colored boy.

Forest was diamond in the rough, and even a drunk, bitter, cripple man could see that.

Carla and Lenore left after that, insulting him as he kicked them out. Calling him every name in the book, cripple, freak show. The worse was when he had fallen out of the chair and they had just laughed hurling insults at him.

Dan just wished he could remain on the floor where he had fallen and just give up on life, like he often wished. But he was reminded he wasn't alone when a pair of strong, yet gentle hands grabbed his shoulders, ready to pick him up.

It was his pride that forced Dan to wave Forest away when he tried to help. It was the commanding officer in him that refused to allow one of his men to see his weakness. It was with great effort that he was able to haul himself up into his chair. And he was thankful that Gump had stayed where he had ordered him. When accidents had happened when he was still in the hospital, the Doctors and Nurses had not let him help himself, no matter how he protested. They helped him up with kind words and gentle hands, something that Dan despised. He was a soldier and they had treated him as a child.

"I'm sorry Lt. Dan for ruining ur New Years Eve party" apologized Forest. "But she tasted like cigarettes."

There it was, not the apology but the sign of respect. Gump didn't call him Dan or Taylor, or even cripple. It was always Lieutenant Dan, in the same respectful tone he had used in the Army. Gump was the only person who still treated him as a person, not something broken. Dan slowly wheeled around the apartment and looked out the window,

"Happy New Year's Gump" Dan said softly.

Not long afterwards Forest went to bed on the couch in the room. Dan had not moved from his spot in front of the window. He was not tired, he knew if he did fall asleep his dreams would be filled with faces of the dead from the war. That's all he ever dreamed about was the war, the heat, and the rain, and the sound of dying cries of his men. He even had dreams of the man sleeping on his couch dying. He might have be in the United States but his whole life was back in the jungle. All his life he knew he would die in battle, just like every man in his family had, fighting for a cause that was worthy. But now that had been denied to him, he didn't know what to do with himself. He never planned on surviving, never planned for the future.

Dan looked over to where Forest was sleeping. His face was peaceful. Dan didn't understand how this man could move on from the war. Gump had plans. Well, Dan chuckled, only Forest Gump would feel honored bound to keep a promise to a dead man and buy himself a shrimping boat. Dan couldn't believe that he had promised the fool he would be his first mate if he ever did get a boat.

Dan didn't notice his head dipping further and further onto his chest, his mind full of the images of the open ocean. Were it didn't matter if you had legs or not as he felt the salty air flow around him.

For the first time since he returned home, Dan Taylor's dreams were not full of destruction and death. But of hope and freedom of the seas, with a man whose goodness showed through him like a beacon. On their ship there would be no people calling them cripple or stupid, they would both be free.


End file.
